Hangman Tree

This sinister tree looms above a field strewn with bones. numerous leafy vines, their tips looped into nooses, hang from its branches.

Originally posted on Pathfinder SRD

The hangman tree prefers to lie in wait near remote forest tracks and game trails, waiting for victims to wander by. These carnivorous plants are incredibly patient, and can wait for months in a single location for food to approach. When prey does draw near, the tree’s vines lash like striking snakes. The tree often uses its pull ability to hoist grappled foes 10 to 15 feet in the air so that they are out of reach of allies while they slowly strangle. The tree generally only swallows one foe whole at a time, letting its other captured victims dangle and ripen until it is ready to feed on them.

A hangman tree is 30 feet tall and weighs 12,000 pounds

Hangman Tree CR 7

XP 3,200 NE Huge plant Init +3; Senses Blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 7, flat-footed 20 (-1 Dexterity, +13 natural, -2 size) hp 84 (8d8+48) Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +5 Immune plant traits; SR 18 Weaknesses vulnerable to electricity

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft. Melee 3 vines +11 (1d6+7 plus grab and pull) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks constrict (1d6+7), hallucinatory spores, pull (vine, 5 feet), strangle, swallow whole (2d6+7 acid damage, AC 16, 7 hp), vines

STATISTICS

Strength 25, Dexterity 8, Constitution 23, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10 Base Atk +6; CMB +15 (+19 grapple); CMD 24 Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, lightning reflexes, skill focus (Perception) Skills Perception +11, Stealth -2 Languages Sylvan

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Hallucinatory Spores (Ex) Once per day as a standard action, a hangman tree can release a cloud of spores in a 50-foot-radius spread. Creatures in the area must make a DC 20 Will save or believe the hangman tree to be a perfectly ordinary tree or at worst, a treant or some other friendly tree-like creature. An affected creature becomes passive for 2d6 minutes and refuses to attack the hangman tree during this time. An affected creature can attempt a new Will save each round that the tree attacks an ally if a hallucinating creature is attacked by the tree, it gains a +4 bonus on its Will save to see through the hallucination. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Constitution-based. Vines (Ex) A hangman tree’s vines are primary attacks that deal bludgeoning damage. When a hangman tree grapples a foe with its vines, the tree does not gain the grappled condition. A hangman tree that uses swallow whole transfers a pinned creature from a vine to inside its trunk.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forests Organization solitary or pair Treasure standard

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Section 15: Copyright Notice – Bestiary 2

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.